Reenforcing attachment for clothespins



S. BOWER REENFORCING ATTACHMENT-FOR CLOTHESPINS July 13, 1926. 1,592,334

Filed Feb. 6, 1925 Patented July 13, 1926.

UNITED STATES SIGMUND BOWER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

BEENFORCING ATTACHMENT FOR CLOTHESPINS.

Ap'plication filed February 6, 1925.- Serial IlTo, 7,253.

This invention relates to clothespins and particularly to the provisionof an attachment thereto for reenforcing and strengthening the pin andespecially the split portions thereof; and the object of theinvention isto provide adevice of the class specified which will operate to preventthe breaking of clothespins as is commonly experienced when subjectingthe same to undue stress in securing clothes or garments on aclothesline; a further object being to provide a device of the classspecified which comprises one or more bands of unitary constructionadapted to encircle the periphery of a clothespin adjacent the base ofthe split portion thereof and further to the provision of meanscooperating with the wallsvof the split portionof the pin for lockingthe device, under tension, against displacement; a I

further object being to provide a device which when in position willimbed itself in the periphery of the pin to aid in locking the same inposition; a still further object being to provide means for compensatingfor the different diameters of clothespins where by a single device maybe utilized universally for pins of varying sizes; and with these andother objects in view, the invention consists in an attachment of theclass and for the purpose specified, which is simple in construction andinexpensive in manufacture and, which is constructed as hereinafterdescribed and claimed. a The invention is fully disclosed in the.following specification, of which the accompanying. drawing forms apart, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated bysuitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which Fig. .1is a side View of a pin showingone of my devices mounted in connectionthere- -with.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 -2 of Fig. 1. i

Fig. 3 is a slightly perspective View of the device shown in Figs. 1 and2 detached. Fig. 1 is a view similar to Fig.- 3 but showing amodification. r

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic View illustrating a hand tool which may be usedin mounting the device upon a clothespin.

Fig. 6 is a side viewof a part of a clothespin at right angles to thatshown in Fig. 1

andshowing a modification in the forma tion of the device; and,

Fig. 7 is an edge view of a device similar to that shown'in Fig. 4: andshowing another modification.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, I have shown at 10 a clothespin of the usualconstruction and comprising a head member 11 and split end portion 12,the split 13 of which extends to the point 14 where the body of the apin is slightly enlarged as shown at l5,and

at 1 6 1 have shown one form of reenforcing devlce mounted upon theenlarged portion 15 of the p n and serving to reenforce the base of thesplit 13 therein to prevent the separation of the members 17 and 18formed by the split13 or the splitting of the enlarged portion 15 andthe head 11 thereof.

The device 16 in the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive isfashioned from a rod to form one continuous ring 19 encircling theperiphery of the pin 10 and two semi-circular end portions 20 and 21partially encircling the pin and terminating in straight ends 22 and 23respectively which extend substantially radially of the ring 19 andconstitute spring members adapted to be passed through the split oraperture 13.

of the pin 10 and to be compressed therein as seen in Fig. 2 of thedrawing and these members or the ends thereof will imbed themselves inthe walls of the aperture 13 to aid in holding the device in position.

It will be understoodv that the device 16 is passed onto the pin overthe split end sulting in the im edding of the ring 19 or thesemi-circular portions 20 and 21 thereof in the material of the pin asindicated at 24 in Fig. 2 of the drawing, this also aiding in retainingthe attachment in position, it being also apparent that the tension ofthe sufficient to maintain the device in place.

In Fig. '5 of the drawing, I have indicated at 25 a part of one form ofa hand tool which may be usedfor placing the attach ment 16' on aclothespin by hand and the toolas shownis provided witha; bore 26 toreceive thesplit end portion of the pin and at one end of the bore is arecess 27 to receive the device '16, and said endpordevice when placedin position initself is i tion of the tool is flared outwardly as shownat 28 to receive the flared split end portion 12 of the pin. In the useof the tool one of the devices is placed in the recess 27 and aclothespin is passed into and through the tool, in which operation thedevice passes over the members 17 and 18 and by employing suiiicientpressure, the device may be set to proper position on the pin.

It is not necessary to employ the continuous ring 19 and the twosemi-circular members 20 and 21 as shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, andas a matter of fact a simpler and cheaper form of construction such asshown in Fig. 1 of the drawing will be sufiicient to accomplish thedesired result, and in said figure, the device 29 is composed of a wirefashioned to form a ring member 30, the end portions of which overlap insubstantially semi-circular members 31 and 32 which terminate inradially arranged straight ends 33 and respectively. In

said figure the wire is shown of squared cross section, but it will beunderstood that round or any other cross sectional form of the wire maybe employed in any form of the devices shown. The straight ends 33 and3% also constitute spring members which pass into the split or aperture13 of the pin and function in the same manner as the members 22 and 23as will be apparent.

In the construction shown in Fig. 6 of the drawing, I have illustrated aring similar to that shown in Fig. 4 but composed of. round wire, and insaid figure, the ring portion 30 of the device substantially centrallyof that portion thereof opposite the members 31 and 32 is offset asshown at 35 preferably in the. direction of the head end portion of thepin, and this offset increases the spring property of the ring 30 of thedevice 29 and allows for a slight expansion thereof to compensate forthe slight varying diameters in the enlarged portions of clothes pins.The same result accomplished by theattachment shown in Fig. 6 of thedrawing may be accomplished by providinga number of oppositely disposedoffset portions 36 in the ring 30 as seen in the edge View of the ringin Fig. 7 of the drawing. In other words, one or more of the offsetportions may be employed.

In all the forms of the devices shown, it will be understood that whenthe same are placed upon the clothespin, the possibility of breaking orsplitting the pin is absolutely obviated and the only possibility ofdestroying the pin would be in the breaking or snapping of either of themembers 17 and 18. A clothespin with one of my reenforcing devicesthereon will be of far greater strength and durability, the pin beingable to withstand much greater stress or allow the pressures upon themembers 17 and 18 and by reason of the simplicity in the construction ofthe device, the increased cost of a pin made with the device thereon isvery slight, it also being understood that the devices themselves may beplaced upon the market and sold as accessories and may be attached toand removed from clothespins at will or in the manufacture of theclothespins the reenforcing devices may be applied thereto, and while Ihave shown certain details of construction for carrying my inventioninto effect, it will be understood that I am not necessarily limited tothe specific construction herein shown and described, and variouschanges therein and modifications thereof may be made within the scopeof the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my inventionor sacrificing its advantages.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A device of the class described fashioned from a strand of wire toform a ring member, the end portions of which terminate in inwardly andradially directed members, and the circumferential portion of said ringmember having an ofl'set portion, arranged in a plane at right angles tothe plane. of the ring member.

2. A reenforcing member for clothespins comprising a ring body and partsextending substantially radially through the axis of said body, saiddevice being adapted to be placed on a clothespin by passing the ringbody over the split end portion thereof, said part-s passing through thesplit or aperture of the pin, said parts being adapted to tensionallyengage the walls of the split -of the pin, and said ring body properbeing fashioned to form an offset portion thereon,

directed at right angles to the plane of the rin A device of the classdescribed comprising a ring body fashioned from a strand of metal, theend portions of said strand extending radially from approximatelydiametrica-lly opposite points of the ring body in crossed relation andtransversing the major portion of the area within the ring body.

4. A device of the class described comprising a ring body fashioned froma strand of metal, the end portions of said strand extending radially ofthe ring body in crossed relationand transversing the major portion ofthe area within the ring body, and an offset portion in thecircumferential portion of said ring body disposed thereon at a point atright angles to said ends to render said ring body expansible.

5. The combination with a clothespin of a device for reenforcing thesplit portion thereof said device comprising a ring body adapted to bepassed over the split end portion of the pin and provided with memberstransversing said ring body radially and in cross relation, the lengthof said members being substantially equal to the Width of the split ofthe pin and being adapted to engage the Walls of the split of'the pinwhen ring body being adapted to encircle that portion of the pin at thebase of the split therein, and said ring body being offset in a plane atright angles to the plane'of the ring body to provide for the placementof the ring body on pins of varying diameters.

6. A device of the class described comprising a closed ring bodyfashioned from a strand of predetermined material the end portions ofsaid ring body having areshaped portions lying upon the ring body andterminating in straight ends extending inwardly from opposite points onthe ring body substantially radially thereof, and said straight endsbeing in crossed arrangement centrally or the ring body and parallel inhorizontal relation.

7. The combination with a clothespin' of a device for reenforcing thesplit portion thereof, said device being formed from a strand of metaland comprising a closed ring body encircling the periphery of the pin,and said strand terminating in straight ends extending inwardly andradially of the closed ring body and adapted to pass through the ringbody is mounted in position, said the split of the pin and totensionally engage the corners and Walls of the split portion of the pinand said ends being parallel in horizontal relation.

8. The combination With a clothespin of a device for reenforcing thesplit portion thereof, said dev ce being formed from a strand of metaland comprising a closed ring body encircling the periphery of the pin,said strand terminating in straight ends extending inwardly and radiallyof the closed ring body and adapted to pass through the split of the pinand to tensionally engage the corners and Wallsof the split portion ofthe pin, and said straight ends being in crossed arrangement centrallyof the ring body and substantially parallel in horizontal relation.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname this 2nd day of Feb. 1925.

SIGMUND BOWER.

